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FYI: I was born in Panama & went to school there thru 10th grade leaving in 1960 with my grandparents & completed high school in the other Panama City, Bay Country High School, Panama City, FL in 1962. I flew in the navy for 7 years, worked for the FAA 23 & retired from the FAA in Ft. Lauderdale in 1998 with 30 years U.S. government service. I now work for American Airlines as a simulator instructor so I can fly to PTY when ever I can get time off. Websites on Panama: Info: <http://www.panamainfo.com> <http://www.turistmo.com> <http://www.thepanamanews.com> <http://www.chagres.com> (Dino Barkema's Website. Dino was born in Panama, raised in the old Canal Zone, has lived in the U.S., & now lives in Chiriqui Province near Costa Rica - beautiful photos of Panama) <http://www.businesspanama.com/> <http://www.panamacybernews.com> <http://www.Panama-Guide.com> <http://www.panoramicpanama.com> <http://www.panamatipico.com/english/> Tours in Panama <http://www.colon2000.com> General photos <http://www.panamarelocation.com/html/panama_canal.htm> American Society in Panama <http://www.amsoc.org/> Panama Guide: <http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php?story=20050110095342816> Sailing info: <http://www.tantoes.com> Hotels: <http://www.ipat.gob.pa/hoteles/index.html> <http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-487663-panama_city_hotels-i-b-11> B&B on Quarry Hts: <http://www.bedandbreakfastpanama.com> Hotels/B&B in El Valle de Anton (in the mountains 1 1/2 hour drive from the City) <http://www.hotelcompestre.com> <http://www.losnances.com> B&B in the Volcan (Chiriqui near Costa Rica in the mountains): <http://www.cielitosur.com> Econ Resort located Gamboa at the mid point of the canal on Gatun Lake: <http://www.gamboaresort.com> Bird watching in Panama at an old U.S. Military Radar bldg converted to B&B: <http://www.canopytower.com> El Valle: <http://www.ipat.gob.pa/El_Valle/vall_in.html> Buying or renting an apartment in Panama: <http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php?story=2005010614323130> Panama newspaper (La Prensa) website (Spanish): <http://turismo.prensa.com/> Smithsonian webcams in Panama <http://www.stri.org/english/site_tools/webcams/index.php> Real Estate in Panama: <http://www.semusarealty.com/semusaexecutive.html> Hotels in Panama City: I like to stay in the El Congrejo or Marbella area near Via Espana the main street where there are many nice shops & cafes. Restaurants, cafes, internet, etc.: The El Rey Super Marcado is a chain in Panama & one is in the above area on Via Espana, it is opens 24 hours & you can buy everything from "soup to nuts" + liquor at good prices & good Panama coffee. One of my favorite cafes is Costa Azul on the side street off Via Espana between the Continental Hotel & the Marriott Hotel. Also there is about 5 internet cafes on this street. Nikos is another cafe chain around Panama that has good cafeteria type food, Also there are several Manolos cafes that are good. Don't miss the restaurants on the Amador Causeway, Sunset at the Balboa (Amador) Yacht Club (BYC), T.G.I. Fridays is located next door to the BYC & attached to the Country Inn & Suites which overlook the mouth of the canal on the Pacific side & the Bridge of the America's. U.S. Citizens in Panama: You can drop by the Balboa Elks Lodge on La Boca Road where the Shamrock Restaurant is located in front of the old Elk's Lodge building (the restaurant is leased from the Elks & has good food) & meet what's left of the Americans living in Panama, visitors are always welcome, just go through the restaurant to the bar door at the back to get to the Elks bar facility. Ashby, Gilberto & Mercedes are the 3 bartenders that have been there for some time, there are usually a few of the ole "gringos" & some Panamanians in the bar, up until recently the bar was open 24 hours. Also the Niko's Cafe in Balboa (site of the old Bowling Alley) is another location that U.S. Citizens frequent. FYI, It is beside the old Canal Zone High School/Junior College & C.Z. Employee Commissary. Another is the Balboa Yacht Club, actually located in Amador, is another good location to find U.S. citizens especially around sunset ("happy hour"), beautiful sunsets with the mouth of the canal & the Bridge of the American's as a back drop. The BYC is located next door to the Country Inn & Suites where a T.G.I.Fridays is co-located. ATM & Credit cards are available in Panama, ATM machines in casino do not charge. Taxis are cheap around the city, they are suppose to charge according to a Zone rate @ $1.25 per zone. It is $20 to the city from the airport. Currency/money: Panama used U.S. paper money & coins, they only issue coins which are the same size as U.S. coins & will work in U.S. vending machines. Entry in/out of Panama: There is a $5 entry tax you pay at the airport at PTY, the Panama Tocumen Airport (use to pay it at the U.S. airport before departing), & $20 tax to leave. Passports are not required if you bring a birth certificate. Telephones in Panama: I buy a phone card when I'm in Panama at vending machines & hotels. They sell for $5/10/20 & save the confusion of putting money in a pay phone. Phone calls are charged by the minute & cell phone calls are more than regular phone calls. Internet cafes are almost every where & charge from 25c to $1.00/hour & you can also call the U.S. at these "cafes" for 10-20c/minutes. Sites to see: On the Pacific side: Miraflores locks (Pacific side) viewing & museum, ruins of old Panama (east side of the city), old section of the city (Casco Viejo-Central Ave., Santa Anna Plaza, San Felipe, fish market, Church of the Golden Altar), Gamboa Rain Forrest Resort, Bird watching (old U.S. military radar site) near Summit, Summit Gardens on the road to Gamboa (Gamboa is at the middle of the Canal on Gatun Lake), the new Summit Garden Golf course & country Club. El Valle (in the mountains) about 1 1/2 hour car ride from the city)-they have a "flee market" on Sundays. The Amador causeway & area is an old U.S. military base, Panama has made a "board walk" area along the causeway which is about a mile long & at the end is 3 island with restaurants & yacht & cruise boat facilities. My favorite restaurant is Mi Ranchito on the first island, good view of Panama City & less expensive but good food. Before the causeway is the Balboa Yacht Club good for a sunset drink & next door is the Country Inn & Suites & a F.G.I. Fridays. The beaches (about 1 1/2-2 hour drive from the city, Gorgona, Rio Mar, Santa Clara, Playa Blanco (Rio Hatio area), Playa Blanco is where the DeCameron & Barcela all-inclusive resorts are located. The closest beach that you would want to use is on the first island on the causeway & is the site of the old U.S. military officer's beach club, another beach at Vera Cruz is across the Bridge of the America's behind the old Howard USAF Base but I recommend caution in this area & the beach is not very pretty. On the Atlantic side: The Free Zone shopping, the old Washington Hotel in the old Cristobal, Canal Zone (CZ) areaa, Colon the city on the Atlantic side is to be avoided. Puerto Bello about 30 minute drive from Cristobal/Colon along a pretty 2 lane road. San Blas Islands/atolls on the Caribbean side-have to fly to them. Bocas del Toro, also best to fly to, on the Caribbean side next to Costa Rica (old banana plantation area). Chiriqui Province on the Pac side boarding Costa Rica, mountainous area, beautiful scenery, city of David on the co ”\Ãw€ë ast, city of Boquete which is developing into a retirement area for U.S. & Europeans as is Bocas del Toro. Volcan area of Chiriqui mountainous area with cooler beautiful areas. Panama City is the most developed city in Central American & has all the conveniences of a U.S. city. Seasons: There are 2 seasons in Panama, Rainy & dry season, dry season is during our winter & most pleasant, rainy season from around May to Oct is humid. Fishing is great in Panama, one of the best Marlin fishing is at Pinas Bay on the Pac side near Colombia, Gatun Lake has Bass & other fish. Rental Car info: Dollar Rent a Car <http://www.dollarpanama.com> 507-223-4461 507-238-4032 Hertz <http://www.hertz.com.pa> 507-260-2111 507-238-4081 National Car Rental <http://www.nationalpanama.com> 507-265-2222 507-238-4144 Payless Car Rental <http://www.payless.com.pa> 507-222-1881/222-1880 NONE Thrifty Car Rental <http://www.thrifty-pa.com> 507-264-2613 507-238-4955 Budget Rent-A-Car <http://www.budgetpanama.com> 507-263-8777 507-238-4069 Alamo Car Rental <http://www.alamopanama.com> 507-236-5777 507-238-4142 Avis Car Rental <http://www.avis.com.pa> 507-278-9444 507-238-4037 Arrendadora Economica <http://www.arrendadoraeconomica.com> 507-229-5257 NONE Barriga Rent-A-Car <http://barrigacar@cwpanama.net> 507-269-0221 507-238-4495 No U-Turns in Panama (it cost me $20 for 2 cars, I didn't have any change so always carry a $10 bill in your wallet, two couples from Palm Beach were following us, so I guess $10/car is not too bad??) Airlines to PTY: American via Miami, Delta via Atlanta, Continental via Houston & Newark, Iberia via Miami & COPA (Panama airline flying new Boeing 737) to JFK, Orlando, Miami, JFK (soon to add a direct to Ft. Lauderdale I'm told). U.S. Air <http://www.usairways.com/travel/destinations/latin_america/pty.htm> -- Louis Seldon 1305 Clear Springs Dr. Keller, TX 76248 Home # 817-337-1920 Cell # 954-610-5121 (U.S.) Cell # (507)-640-1866 (Panama) <lseldon@att.net> Last
updated: March 14, 2005
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